Brexit, for once some facts.

[oyster]

A USA perspective on the Moderna vaccine - and stretching it out:

Initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccines are obviously limited, even as drugmakers ramp up production, so governments are looking for ways to stretch their stocks. For Moderna’s mRNA-1273, that could mean reducing the dosing strength.


The U.S. government is considering halving the dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, Operation Warp Speed chief Moncef Slaoui told CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday. The vaccine task force is in talks with Moderna and the FDA about implementing the idea, he said.

“We know that, for the Moderna vaccine, giving half of the dose to people between the ages of 18 and 55, two doses [at] half the dose … we know it induces identical immune response” to the currently authorized dose, Slaoui added.
https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/feds-consider-half-dose-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-as-u-k-spaces-out-pfizer-astrazeneca-shots

If unconditionally true, the phrase "identical immune response" does rather suggest that precise dose is a movable feast.

 

[Woosh]

it's quite possible that the minimum effective dose is half the current dose (about 50 billion particles). There is still a lot we don't know about the new vaccines.

 

[Danidl]

I bet no one has ever thought about that or taken it into consideration. It’s taken a bicycle forum to come up with that groundbreaking theory.

View attachment 40592

On the contrary.. they have , but sometimes the expedient trumps the important. Or as the saying goes , when you are up to your knees in crocodiles, you sometimes forget, you were there to drain the swamp. That is much more likely to happen with political animals than academics, who confuse action with progress.

 

[Wicky]

Everybody, stop trying to think you know better than people who’s lives have been spent working on virology and vaccination. They have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of public wellbeing. They aren’t going to suddenly do an about turn and deliberately publish information designed to harm you.

None of you on here come close to matching their expertise. You know FA.

If you want something to do, grab a Horlicks, sit in the high-backed chair and get Bob Ross on the telly.

But most importantly, stop causing harm to people.

;-)

[*]Gove: I think the people in this country have had enough of experts, with organizations from acronyms, saying—
Interviewer: They've had enough of experts? The people have had enough of experts? What do you mean by that?
Gove: People from organizations with acronyms saying that they know what is best and getting it consistently wrong.
Inteviewer: The people of this country have had enough of experts?
Gove: Because these people are the same ones who got consistently wrong what was happening.
Interviewer: This is proper Trump politics this, isn't it?
Gove: No it's actually a faith in the—
Inteviewer: It's Oxbridge Trump.
Gove:It's a faith, Faisal, in the British people to make the right decision.

[*]Interview with Faisal Islam on Sky News (3 June 2016)

 

[oyster]

That Harding woman should be summarily ejected.

Test and trace chief Dido Harding says no one could predict new variant would emerge

Dido Harding, head of NHS test and trace, is giving evidence to the Commons science committee. Here are some of the main lines from her evidence so far.

• Harding claimed that no one was able to predict that a new variant of the virus would emerge. She made the claim as she was defending the overall record of test and trace, in response to criticism from Greg Clark, the committee chair, who suggested that it had failed to stop England going back into a lockdown. Harding said:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2021/feb/03/uk-covid-live-coronavirus-hancock-england-hotel-quarantine-plans-arrivals-coronavirus-vaccine-brexit-latest-updates?page=with:block-601a7e2f8f08c315844c8fc8#block-601a7e2f8f08c315844c8fc8

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1356908491886231553

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1356904251864330240

 

[Jesus H Christ]

;-)

[*]Gove: I think the people in this country have had enough of experts, with organizations from acronyms, saying—
Interviewer: They've had enough of experts? The people have had enough of experts? What do you mean by that?
Gove: People from organizations with acronyms saying that they know what is best and getting it consistently wrong.
Inteviewer: The people of this country have had enough of experts?
Gove: Because these people are the same ones who got consistently wrong what was happening.
Interviewer: This is proper Trump politics this, isn't it?
Gove: No it's actually a faith in the—
Inteviewer: It's Oxbridge Trump.
Gove:It's a faith, Faisal, in the British people to make the right decision.

[*]Interview with Faisal Islam on Sky News (3 June 2016)

We were talking about following the advice of medical experts. The last time I looked, Mick Gove was a twat, not a Doctor.

 

[oyster]

We were talking about following the advice of medical experts. The last time I looked, Mick Gove was a twat, not a Doctor.

I agree about Gove. But wasn't the point that Gove more or less told us we are sick of experts and inherently know best because, well, we are British!

Therefore, when the government turns round and tells us that experts are to be believed, they are being deeply and cynically hypocritical.

 

[Jesus H Christ]

Not only is the Oxford vaccine highly effective at both blocking illness and transmission after just one dose, there will be a tweaked version available by Autumn to help us through Winter.

The noises coming from the respected & credible medical quarters is very encouraging regarding the Oxford vaccine.

 

[flecc]

But Michael Gove is a Minister of the Crown, so you as a subject of the Crown should perhaps be more respectful.

Thus illustrating how our responses need not always conform to an accepted norm, to medical "experts" as well as ministers.

These are after all the experts who supported herd immunity but then changed their mind, with the resulting disastrous combination of record deaths and crippling levels of expenditure in failing to avoid them.
.

 

[Jesus H Christ]

I agree about Gove. But wasn't the point that Gove more or less told us we are sick of experts and inherently know best because, well, we are British!

Therefore, when the government turns round and tells us that experts are to be believed, they are being deeply and cynically hypocritical.

I’m not listening to Gove, he’s an ass-hole. I suggest you ignore him too. Listen to people who’s lives have been spent studying viruses and methods of combating them.

If their opinion coincides with Gove’s flapping tongue today, it’s purely a coincidence, nothing more.

 

[Danidl]

We were talking about following the advice of medical experts. The last time I looked, Mick Gove was a twat, not a Doctor.

I had an enlightening conversation with my cardiologist recently .. now I was much happier and confident that this was the guy, who called himself a medical expert that was rooting around with rods and tubes and balloons in my heart , than the plumber who was fixing the toilets in the clinic. Basically I was asking him if since I had severe blockages around my heart ..which I had, and which the stents repaired what was the likihood of them being required elsewhere, like in my legs ...or in my lungs . For some reason he was not prepared to speculate. Conclusion , his expertise was in the heart area . The people who you are touting as expert, might not be in these precise areas.

 

[flecc]

Listen to people who’s lives have been spent studying viruses and methods of combating them.

"Then, the United Kingdom authorized emergency use of a vaccine made by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford that had earlier caused perplexity after researchers reported efficacy results that combined trials with different populations, dosing of shots, and intervals between the prime and booster injections. Still more surprising, the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said the booster shot could be delayed for up to 12 weeks after the primary shot. It explained that an “exploratory analysis” of some trial participants found the vaccine efficacy was 73% after one full dose—a figure that, confusingly, was higher than the 62% after two full doses reported earlier in a study published in The Lancet. The delay would make it possible to give more people one shot quickly, a strategy that might bring down severe disease and death more quickly."

"emergency use", "exploratory analysis of some", "confusing figures".

And that's evidence?
.

 

[oyster]

If he didn't know, he is admitting ignorance of things that he absolutely should have known.

If he did know, well, I really don't need to say any more...

Johnson defends 'reckless' visit to vaccine plant despite Covid outbreak
PM visited Valneva factory in Scotland 24 hours after 14 coronavirus cases were found
Boris Johnson has defended visiting a Scottish vaccine plant despite a coronavirus outbreak at the site, saying “no one is going to stop me” visiting all parts of the UK.

The prime minister was criticised by Scottish leaders including the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, for his trip to Scotland last week at a time when only essential travel is permitted.

The Daily Record reported that Johnson’s visit to the Valneva factory took place 24 hours after a public health investigation which found 14 coronavirus cases – about one in eight of the workforce. Valneva’s chief financial officer, David Lawrence, said Downing Street had been informed ahead of the trip.

Responding to the SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, in the Commons, Johnson denied any knowledge of the issue. Blackford said it was an “absolutely shocking error of judgment. Anyone can see that his campaign trip to Scotland was utterly, utterly reckless”.

Blackford said that Number 10 had made a choice to proceed with the visit. “They knew the visit posed a risk … the prime minister put politics before public health. Why be so reckless?”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/03/boris-johnson-visit-vaccine-plant-despite-covid-outbreak

 

[flecc]

Dido Harding, head of NHS test and trace, is giving evidence to the Commons science committee. Here are some of the main lines from her evidence so far.

• Harding claimed that no one was able to predict that a new variant of the virus would emerge.

Said in March 2020:

Richard Horton, editor of the medical journal The Lancet, warned that the U.K. was “playing roulette with the public.” He said quarantines and shutting borders are urgently needed because there are so many unknowns about the virus.

Horton said it remains uncertain if the virus will mutate, and thereby make people who’ve already caught the disease vulnerable again, and whether it may become more lethal for younger and middle-aged people than scientists suggest.

Seems Richard was well aware of the multiple risks nearly a year ago, as of course were everyone else who know anything at all about viral diseases.
.

 

[Jesus H Christ]

If he didn't know, he is admitting ignorance of things that he absolutely should have known.

If he did know, well, I really don't need to say any more...

Johnson defends 'reckless' visit to vaccine plant despite Covid outbreak
PM visited Valneva factory in Scotland 24 hours after 14 coronavirus cases were found
Boris Johnson has defended visiting a Scottish vaccine plant despite a coronavirus outbreak at the site, saying “no one is going to stop me” visiting all parts of the UK.

The prime minister was criticised by Scottish leaders including the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, for his trip to Scotland last week at a time when only essential travel is permitted.

The Daily Record reported that Johnson’s visit to the Valneva factory took place 24 hours after a public health investigation which found 14 coronavirus cases – about one in eight of the workforce. Valneva’s chief financial officer, David Lawrence, said Downing Street had been informed ahead of the trip.

Responding to the SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, in the Commons, Johnson denied any knowledge of the issue. Blackford said it was an “absolutely shocking error of judgment. Anyone can see that his campaign trip to Scotland was utterly, utterly reckless”.

Blackford said that Number 10 had made a choice to proceed with the visit. “They knew the visit posed a risk … the prime minister put politics before public health. Why be so reckless?”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/03/boris-johnson-visit-vaccine-plant-despite-covid-outbreak

Relax, it’s only the Tiny Scottish Idiot Woman playing politics with the virus. You can safely disregard her.

Get Bob Ross on BBC4 tonight at 19:30 hrs. See you there.

 

[oyster]

Not just a boat race:

COVID-19: What to expect from a vaccine
By Gordon Dougan
Cambridge, too, has now entered the ‘race’ to develop a vaccine, using a different approach – synthetic DNA to deliver custom designed, immune selected vaccine antigens. If successful, it could begin clinical trials in the UK early next year.
https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/covid19vaccine

 

[Jesus H Christ]

My nephew in Italy had Coronavirus, probably three weeks ago. He’s fully recovered and feels absolutely fine, but keeps testing positive. He’s a Pharmacist and needs a negative test before he can return to work.

I think there is still a lot of things we don’t know about how this virus spreads.

 

[oyster]

Relax, it’s only the Tiny Scottish Idiot Woman playing politics with the virus. You can safely disregard her.

Get Bob Ross on BBC4 tonight at 19:30 hrs. See you there.

View attachment 40596

Many years ago, I actually found Tom Keating's painting series quite interesting.

 

[Zlatan]

My nephew in Italy had Coronavirus, probably three weeks ago. He’s fully recovered and feels absolutely fine, but keeps testing positive. He’s a Pharmacist and needs a negative test before he can return to work.

I think there is still a lot of things we don’t know about how this virus spreads.

My daughter seems to be doing fine, says if it weren't for being Covid she, d be at work... And hubby now tested positive but no symptoms...
The care home they both volunteer is as just had 23 cases test positive. All of them had vaccine about 6 weeks ago... All mild to virtually no symptoms,no serious cases no hospitalisation but if any of them keel over its still recorded as a covid death and the 23 cases still go on infected list..
Is this vaccine or would this have been case without it. I sort of guess who will say yah and nah.???
Isn't it about time we all accepted government are doing well on Vaccine front. Seems you can't say that without being called a BJ fan boy.. (now there is a euphemism) (I, ll check spelling of that, looks wrong)

 

[Jesus H Christ]

Many years ago, I actually found Tom Keating's painting series quite interesting.

I‘m no artist, but this Bob Ross series hooks me in. I think it must be from the 1970s. The Beeb has been showing it during lockdown to calm nutters down and to try and stop them killing each other.

It‘s a nice programme.